New Wormery Questions

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chrisworms
Junior Member
Posts:6
Joined:Sun Jun 20, 2021 8:11 am
New Wormery Questions

Post by chrisworms » Sun Jun 20, 2021 8:24 am

Hi,

I have tried to have a quick look through FAQs but can't quite find the answer to a couple of questions I have about the wormery I received this morning and any help would be greatly appreciated.

1. Shall I set up the coir and add some soil and a small amount of food scraps prior to my worms arriving?(I have sent for the worms via the voucher I received).
2. What exactly is the 'corner method' for adding food? - I think each time you add food you rotate the corner that you place it in to?
3. When is the perfect time to add 'the next tray' (I have been givena 5 tray system, I think!).

Thanks for any advice in advance - I am really excited about building up my wormery over time!

Chris

WillyWorm
Senior Member
Posts:699
Joined:Sat Jun 06, 2015 9:10 am

Re: New Wormery Questions

Post by WillyWorm » Sun Jun 20, 2021 1:26 pm

Hi Chris, welcome to the world of worms. It’s a good idea to get one tray set up prior to your worms arriving. I would mix a small amount of compost or soil with water and wash all areas of your bin with this solution. This will remove the “new sterile” smell of the bin, worms don’t do sterile. Next moisten half a block of the coir with water, allow to soak for a while. If you need more bulk add shredded paper or cardboard. Put a layer of natural material or paper over the bottom of one tray to help prevent worms escaping via the sump, this is a common problem in the first few weeks. Now add the bedding mix and sprinkle with garden compost or if this is not available garden soil. When your worms arrive their new home should feel welcoming to them. You should be supplied with some dried food, with your worms or before they arrive. This is the food they would have been used to and will help them feel at home. DO NOT over feed for the fist few days or even a week, a teaspoonful of food a day will be enough for the start ,let your new herd settle in first. After two weeks introduce a small amount of kitchen scraps to their diet. It’s always best to under feed than over feed. Maybe a tablespoonful a day.

Feeding the four corners is intended to help regulate the amount of food you feed your worms. You are right you move to the next corner with each feed. Only feed the new corner if all or most of the previous feed has gone.

There is no perfect time to add the second tray, it depends on many variables but expect to be adding it around 8 to 10 weeks after setting up.

Just to let you know the first week or so of worming are the most difficult and may result in you pulling some of your hair out (you can put this in your bin but it takes ages to break down) lol

Hope the above helps, let me know if I have not explained myself very well and I will try again.

Willy

chrisworms
Junior Member
Posts:6
Joined:Sun Jun 20, 2021 8:11 am

Re: New Wormery Questions

Post by chrisworms » Tue Jun 22, 2021 5:52 am

Many thanks. Why only use half the coir? When should I use the other half?

WillyWorm
Senior Member
Posts:699
Joined:Sat Jun 06, 2015 9:10 am

Re: New Wormery Questions

Post by WillyWorm » Tue Jun 22, 2021 7:10 am

Hi, it may be a personal thing by I find coir can compact down in the worm bin and that a mix of bedding, while adding diversity for for the worms, seem to work better and breaks down better for me. If you have used the full block it is no problem, bedding will need topping up over time and there are lots of stuff you can use most of which are free.

Have fun
Willy

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